2009/2010 Clipper Race Boat Delivery/Pilgrim Cup Race August 2009

Video of Clipper RTW Race Boat Delivery

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Hopefully this link works for everyone.  Charles Willson, one of the folks on the “California” boat who is from San Franciso, made this short video to give everyone a look at the conditions on the boat delivery up North.      

 

Delivery Leg Really Sorted Out The Sailors

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Here’s an email from Shana about the first leg-Boat Delivery: “We left Gosport with a big send off parade, and boat parade. The local pub gave us a stuffed mascot. Saw Colin. After all of that, we motor sailed to Brighton as 2 huge storms were coming.  Some boat race   We then slipped out for one hell of a race to Grimsby. Force 11 gale with gusts to 60 knots.  Big chop, salty stinging spray over the bow.  Water inside everywhere. We do have two toilets seats but they are not long for this world. As we came in at 5 am this morning, I don’t know who won the Pilgrim Cup Race.  A bit battered but not shattered. Certainly it was baptism by fire.  Everyone is still smiling today, but I am guessing a few crew ( on other boats) will drop out.  Grimsby is throwing us a big party tonight and tomorrow with free beer.  Our crew is really fantastic”.

 

Another Post On Heavy Weather

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Some tough going between Brighton and Hull during the boat delivery up the English coast.  The weather forecast was for “heavy rain.”  Here’s one of the crew’s (Emma Beaumont) Facebook entries as they got to Hull (with full sarcasm intact):

“Emma is not impressed with the north sea…. 57 knots of wind, rain that tore the skin of her face off and half the crew sick sick sick…. Hull had better be worth it! And we have to do this water again next sunday for the bl**** start!!! Still nearly hot water time.”

 

Some early heavy weather

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Here’s a post from one of Shana’s team (Charles Wilson) on the California boat from his Facebook account:

“On a glorious sunny day The 10 internationally sponsored Clipper Round the World Race yachts depart their home port in Gosport to head up to Hull the site of the race start on September 13th. Royal Clarence Marina gave us a fantastic send-off with crowds lining the shore in both Gosport & Portsmouth.Each boat is already fully stocked the provisions required to feed the crew of 19 during the Leg 1 race to Rio.The weather forecast for our passage up the North Sea and into Hull is not as accommodating. We are expecting to take a force 8 right on the nose for the final 24 hours.”

 

Shana’s Clipper Round The World Gets Started

Monday, August 31st, 2009

August31: Boat delivery started today, from Gosport to Hull.  They are scheduled to take as much as five days to deliver the boat in order to “shakedown” new sails, running rigging and other equipment.  In Hull there will be a week or so of “festivities” and of course work tweaking the boats before the official start on September 13. Here’s a couple pics of the crew and boats leaving on the delivery leg.